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    Home » Sewing

    Tuesday Tutorial, Patchwork Skirt

    Updated: Jul 25, 2012 by Melissa Mortenson · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 16 Comments

    It’s been a while since we’ve had a Tuesday Tutorial here, I think it’s about time for another one!

    I’m excited to share with you this patchwork skirt I made for my daughter.  She had outgrown the last patchwork skirtI made her, and I thought this pattern was in need of an update for an older girl. So I came up with this new *updated* version of my Patchwork skirt!!

    I made her this cute flower brooch to go with her skirt, you’ll have to wait a week or two for this tutorial, but it’s coming soon!

    This skirt is very simple to construct! I made it in an afternoon (the day before Thanksgiving… don’t tell anyone- gotta love a last minute project… *ahem*)..
    You will need:
    1-2 Charm Packs. Charm packs are packets of fabric pre cut into 5″ squares. Many fabric companies sell them but Moda Fabrics has the most.  These fabrics are Pumpkin & Spice by Deb Strain.
    This skirt is approx a size 8 – 10 and you will need 48 charm squares. It could work as small as a size 6 but will be more gathered around the waistband. I  recommend buying 2 charm packs because there may be some prints you don’t want to use.
    ¼ yd fabric for waistband  – cut 2 pieces 6″ wide by 16″ long
    ¼ yd fabric for skirt band – cut 2 pieces 4″ wide by width of your fabric
    1″ wide elastic

    This is a diagram of how this skirt is constructed.  Each side (front and back) of the skirt will look like this when finished. The dotted lines indicate gathering stitches.

    Okay to begin:

    1- Sew 6 charm squares together to make skirt front row one. Press seams to one side. Repeat for skirt back row one. Set aside

    2- Sew 9 charm squares together for skirt front row 2.  Press seams to one side.

    3- Sew 9 charm squares together for skirt front row 3. Press seams to one side, the opposite way to pressed row 2.

    4- Sew row 2 to row 3. Press.

    Repeat steps 2-4 for skirt back.

    5-  Sew skirt band to row 3 of skirt.  Match right sides together and place skirt band over the top of row 3.   After stitching fold down and press seam towards skirt band. Repeat for skirt back.

    6- Run 2 rows of gathering stitches in the top of row 2.  Pull up on gathering stitches and sew so that the top of row 2 matches the bottom of row 1. Stitch together row 1 to row 2, right sides together.  You do NOT want any puckers or gathers in the bottom of row 1, only the top of row 2.

    7- Matching side seams, sew skirt front to skirt back. Make some kind of mark so that you know which seams are your side seams, this will be important later.

    8- Sew your 2 waistband pieces together at short sides. Press seams open.

    9- Zig zag or serge the 2 longs sides of your waistband.

    10- Run 2 rows of gathering stitches on the top of row 1.  Pull up on gathering stitches until row 1 matches up with your waistband piece.  Pin skirt to waistband, right sides together and matching side seams.  Stitch.

    11- On your waistband piece, fold the top down 1 ¼″. You are folding with wrong sides together.  Stitch in place leaving a 1″ opening to feed your elastic through.

    12- Cut your elastic to size and feed through the casing you just made.  When finished stitch elastic together and close the opening in the casing.

    To finish bottom edge of skirt:
    13- Fold under raw edge of skirt band ¼″ and press.
    14. Fold skirt band so that folded edge lines up with the seam between the skirt band & skirt.  Pin in place well.
    15. On the right side of skirt band top stitch to hold the skirt band in place. You are going to be top stitching as close to the seam between the skirt band/skirt as possible.  There is more explanation of this technique here, if you need some extra instructions. (it’s the same method I used to attach the band to the bottom of the pillowcase shirt.(
    Clip strings, press and enjoy!!

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    About Author

    Melissa Mortenson

    Melissa Mortenson is a blogger, designer, and content creator. She is the Polka Dot Chair blog founder and has been sharing fresh and creative ideas with readers since 2008. She is the author of “Project Teen, Handmade Gifts your Teen will Actually Love.” Her work and designs have been featured on HuffPost, TODAY, Pioneer Woman, HGTV, BuzzFeed, Better Homes & Gardens, and many other established publications. Her first fabric line, “Derby Style,” debuted in January 2015 through Riley Blake Designs.  Additional fabric collections have followed it in subsequent years. A mom of 3, she considers herself lucky to be living in Kentucky.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cadiedid says

      November 30, 2010 at 8:06 am

      I love this skirt! Is it possible to get an explanation of how to resize? My daughter is about to be a year old so this would be way too big! Thank you bunches!

      Reply
    2. AMKreations says

      November 30, 2010 at 8:33 am

      I love the skirt! Great tutorial, thank you!

      Reply
    3. casserole says

      November 30, 2010 at 10:20 am

      This is such a pretty skirt! I love the patchwork!! I linked to your tutorial on Craft Gossip Sewing:
      http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-patchwork-skirt-for-girls/2010/11/30/

      –Anne

      Reply
    4. Chris says

      November 30, 2010 at 12:21 pm

      Lovely! The brooch just sets it all off.

      Reply
    5. Katherine says

      November 30, 2010 at 1:11 pm

      So pretty! Thanks for sharing such a great idea for charms.

      Reply
    6. Vanessa says

      November 30, 2010 at 4:50 pm

      I love the colors of the skirt! So beautiful!

      Reply
    7. Sandra says

      December 01, 2010 at 7:28 am

      How gorgeous! I just love your fabric selection, such a beautiful warm feel to it!
      Thanks for adding yet another project to my list ( two more sydney skirts to finish first though!)

      Reply
    8. Ana says

      December 03, 2010 at 2:50 am

      Hi, I have a question: do you prewash your charms? Thanks!

      Reply
    9. Rachel@oneprettything.com says

      December 06, 2010 at 12:37 am

      What a pretty skirt! Thanks so much for the how-to, I’ll be linking.

      Reply
    10. Mique (as in Mickey) says

      December 10, 2010 at 2:11 am

      Someday when I grow up, I wanna be just.like.you.
      Thanks for linking up to my Pity Party Melissa! xo

      Reply
    11. Auntie Bliss says

      December 10, 2010 at 9:27 am

      That skirt is precious!
      That was quite a lot of work for one afternoon 🙂

      Reply
    12. Claire says

      August 03, 2012 at 7:40 pm

      Did you mean a womens size 8-10?

      Reply
    13. Bev says

      September 05, 2012 at 6:46 pm

      @Claire – In the US a child size 10 fits a girl around 10 years old – I think!

      Reply
      • melissa says

        September 10, 2012 at 12:49 pm

        Yes, Thanks for clearing that up! Somehow I missed that question!

        Reply
    14. Kathryn says

      February 04, 2014 at 7:44 am

      do you have a pattern similar to this for a child jumper dress? I saw one it was cute would love to try and make for summer. I can’t find one anywhere. I do love this skirt! The colors are fabulous.

      Reply
    15. Edwina says

      March 05, 2022 at 6:44 pm

      Hi. I used your tutorial to make a skirt for myself, larger squares, and right to the floor. Your instructions were perfect. I had no trouble following along and it turned out beautifully. Thank you!

      Reply

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    I’m also a Mom and a Maker. I am like most of you, just trying to do my best every day. Some days I succeed, many days I fail.  I find joy in creating, if you do too, then I hope that you find something here bring a little “happy” to your life.  Find out more about me here.

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